Industry Advice Ask Mike: What Are the Main Considerations for Safe Welding Best Practices?

with Mike Anderson

This month, we “Ask Mike” to share his thoughts on safe welding best practices. We at Hammer & Dolly hope you find the following exchange useful, and we encourage you to reach out to us if you have a question for Mike on this or any industry-related matter that he can answer in a future issue.

Hammer & Dolly: We’ve had various conversations over the years about best practices, but not specifically when it comes to welding. What do you see as the best practices shops are following to ensure their welds are being performed safely and properly? How do training, equipment and OEM procedures factor into that?

Mike Anderson: I’m going to turn that around and focus on what I don’t see. People are not setting up and performing destructive tests, which every OEM requires for proper repair validation and safety assurance. Unfortunately, I don’t see that very often, which is very concerning to me and should be to others in the industry as well. When we do our Collision Advice ‘Who Pays for What?’ Surveys, we see that the reimbursement percentage is very low across the board. It may be that people are not asking for it, aren’t documenting properly or simply don’t understand its importance — but I suspect the main reason is that people are not doing it at all, which presents a serious liability issue.

Obviously, when you weld, you want to make sure you’re using the correct specification of welder according to the OEM. Some OEMs — such as Audi or Mercedes-Benz — require that you use a welder that’s been specifically tested and approved by them. I also see a lot of shops failing to properly maintain their welders, whether it’s with a software update or checking the pressure on a spot welder regularly. In other cases, people aren’t checking the amount of power coming into their building. When I had my shop, there was a big shopping center across the street. We noticed that the power coming to our building would actually drop. We had to contact the electric company to do some things to ensure we had enough power coming in. In other cases, I’ve seen people use really long extension cords on a welder, which can sometimes be detrimental to the welding process. 

Some OEMs require that you use a specific gas mixture or wire. Shops also must think about whether they’re performing the appropriate type of welds or welding in the right area. Obviously, wearing the appropriate personal protection equipment is essential. A vehicle repair could require several types of welds, which may require several practice welds and destructive tests. As always, it is important to refer to the OEM repair procedures for that specific vehicle. 

Also, if you’re welding on something that’s galvanized, there will be fumes coming off, so you should be wearing a welding respirator. Always consult the manufacturer’s guidelines and prioritize safety equipment. 

Welding near electrical components is another important consideration, as different OEMs say different things about that. One might specify 12 inches, and another might require 24 inches of clearance or more. Knowing what each OEM says is absolutely essential to avoid damaging sensitive electronics or creating safety hazards. You can only determine the correct approach by following the proper, up-to-date repair procedures — there’s no substitute for that. Technicians must consistently research and verify OEM guidelines for every vehicle, every time, to ensure safe, compliant and high-quality repairs.

H&D: Are people not performing these procedures properly due to the insurance industry’s reluctance to pay for them?

MA: Honestly, I don’t think insurance reimbursement is the issue — people just aren’t doing it. I know of at least one example where a shop discovered a problem with its welder by doing a test weld and destructive test. They would never have known that without going through the process. People will sometimes say they don’t know how to get the coupons. Car-O-Liner sells them, and you can get them through I-CAR. 

The quality of welds I see at some shops is scary. I don’t mean to be disparaging, but the welds I see at a lot of shops are horrible. There’s a lot of welding training and coaching out there, but most people learn by having another technician at the shop teach them. That’s not appropriate; people need to receive proper training and follow the correct procedures. Weld quality isn’t just cosmetic — it directly affects safety and performance. Poor training leads to bad habits and dangerous shortcuts. Shops should invest in training and regular assessments to ensure every technician meets industry standards.

H&D: Here’s another point: What happens when that poorly welded vehicle gets into another collision? If someone isn’t welding properly, who’s to say a seemingly safe car won’t split in half in a subsequent incident?

MA: If you use the wrong weld or weld in the wrong place, the vehicle could be compromised. Also, you can’t use structural adhesive for a weld. I’ve seen people use structural adhesive when it wasn’t an OEM-approved procedure. It was just a shortcut. 

Look at the John Eagle case; that’s a perfect example of an improper repair. That case showed how cutting corners can have devastating consequences. Following OEM procedures isn’t optional. 

Want more? Check out the September 2025 issue of Hammer & Dolly!